


Time and Again

by crimsinsky



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2018-11-02 02:10:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10934796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsinsky/pseuds/crimsinsky
Summary: Buffy has had nightmares of being trapped in her coffin for years. Only this time it is not a dream, She's back in that coffin and things are about to change.





	1. Chapter 1

Buffy had this nightmare for years, ever since she was brought back from the dead.

 

She’d find herself back in the coffin gasping for air and try to crawl up through the wood and the dirt.

 

Somehow Buffy always knew it was a dream, she knew that once she hit a hole through the dream coffin she’d wake up alone in her bed.

 

But tonight was different.

 

The dream began once again but something was wrong.

 

She couldn’t breathe and her body was in agony.

 

 

 

This wasn’t a dream.

 

 

 

It was real.


	2. Chapter 2

Buffy fought her way through the dirt and rocks and splinters. She’d swallowed more dirt than she’d cared to but her instincts and memories pushed her further until she ascended into hell.

She remembered this. Demons and fire.

Ignoring the pain she found some makeshift weapons and took out the ones that crossed her path until a soft voice filled the air.

“Buffy” Dawns voice was soft and questioning.

“Dawnie.” It came out as barely a whisper. Her throat raw.

They approached each other wearily in a daze until they were close enough to touch. Buffy lunged forward and wrapped her sister in a hug.

*********************** 

An hour later the chaos seemed to have dissipated and Buffy and Dawn were back home. Buffy was extremely confused as to how she got back there, or rather then.

Dawn helped Buffy clean up and combed her hair out, Buffy offered her a smile then made a face and pointed to her throat to point out she was still finding it hard to speak. As Dawn finished the braid Buffy covered Dawn’s hand with her own and squeezed it. Dawn looked up into the mirror and smiled back at her sister.

The tender moment was shattered when the door slammed and a scream bellowed out through the house. “DAWN!”

“Crap,” she mumbled and flew down the stairs.

At lease that was the same. Buffy heard an exchange of empty threats to kill her sister and decided to calm him down. 

She checked her reflection and seemed passible for the circumstances. She slowly came down the staircase to see Spike glance her way. She’d missed that look of reverence the first go around.

“I need to clean up your hands still,” Dawn noticed the cuts on Buffy’s hands.

Buffy walked into the kitchen and grabbed the first aid kit herself when she turned around Spike was there and took it from her. He stared at her without blinking.

“Is it really you?”

Buffy offered a small smile and nodded.

She noticed his confused expression and pointed at her throat and mouthed ‘hurts to talk’.

Spike nodded, walked across the kitchen and put the kettle on before returning to the kit. He pulled out the ointment and the bandages. He held his hand out for hers which she tenderly placed in his. Silently he repaired some of the damage she’d done to her hands.

Buffy mouthed a thank you when he was done and Spike busied himself making hot chocolate, Buffy noted that he moved through her kitchen without looking for things and knew precisely where everything was. Even when she’d lived here she couldn’t do that. She had some questions for when she could speak easier.

When the hot chocolate was ready Spike called Dawn back down and the trio sat around sipping their drinks. When the door slammed open and a flood of voices rang through the house. Buffy looked bug-eyed.

“We’ll sort it and Spike got up. Buffy rushed to his side and held his arm, he looked back concerned and she whispered to him. “Please don’t let them make you leave.”

 

He was confused but only said, “Whatever you want. He looked at both the Summers’ girls “but you stay in here for a bit.”

He stormed out of the room shouting “What the hell happened tonight?”

That was her Spike, Buffy smiled to herself and continued with her drink listening to the show.

“All hell broke loose,” Xander said.

“Where were all of you? Dawn could have been hurt.”

“It’s Wednesday, tonight is your night to watch her,” Willow ignored his irritation.

“Yeah, tonight is Wednesday because it’s 2 in the bloody morning and a few hours ago was Tuesday.”

Tara was stunned “Willow, you said you checked in with Spike.”

“I meant to.”

Tara caught that there had been two lies but chose to ignore it, for now. She turned to Spike worriedly “Is Dawn alright, is she hurt?”

“No, she isn’t hurt. Come to think of it what were you lot doing out tonight before the hell’s angels showed up?”

“Nothing.” Willow lied.

Now Spike had his target. “Care for another go Red?”

Willow choked out an offended “What?”

He kept his voice low but Spike was seething “What is the hell did you do tonight? Rather what spell did you do?”

“I said we didn’t do anything.”

“And you are lying.”

“Spike stop it,” Xander said indifferently knowing there was nothing Spike could do. “Nothing happened tonight.”

“You lot are unbelievable, you lie and back each other up like you are the supreme rulers of the earth. You think that there are no consequences but there are and you need to learn that Willow.”

It was rare that Spike used anyone’s real name so it got their attention.

He looked Willow in the eye “I’m going to ask you one more time, what did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

He backed up a step and called to the kitchen, “Dawn please come out here.”

Buffy and Dawn looked at each other before walking out.

“Oh my God it worked.” Willow ran to hug Buffy who held up a hand and kept her away.

“What did you do?” Buffy said slightly louder than she’d spoken before.

“I brought you back.” Willow was on the verge of tears.

Buffy drew out a hoarse “I know but you did it wrong.”

Everyone was in shock.

Dawn was angry “It’s late we’re going to bed now. You need to go. We’ll call when Buffy’s ready to talk.” She spoke to everyone but looked only at Willow.

With that, the stunned Scoobies filed out of the house.

“You’re bossy,” Buffy whispered.

Dawn folded her arms across her chest “Just like you.”

Buffy nodded and smiled.

“You all right Pet?” Spike asked.

“Will be.”

“I need to take a walk, are you alright?”

Buffy nodded. “Going to bed.”

“Goodnight then.” Spike locked the door and shut it softly and waited for the lights to go out.

From her room, she didn’t need special hearing to know that Xander and Spike were arguing and to hear Spike drive off after.


	3. Chapter 3

Buffy felt him a short time later when he came back and was standing under the tree in the front yard. She wondered why the neighbors had never called the cops on all her mysterious lurking visitors who just stood under that tree at all hours in plain sight.

She couldn’t sleep anyway so she scribbled a note on a sheet of paper wadded it up and slunk by the window where he couldn’t see her and nailed him on the top of the head with it.

He uncrumpled the paper and read “Tree or front door? 5 seconds.”

In 1.5 seconds he was up the tree and climbing in through the window.

“Can’t sleep?”

Buffy sighed “No and I’d really like too.” She glanced at her clock blaring 3:22am “Want to watch TV or something downstairs?”

“Sure.”

In the living room he watched her wearily not sure what to do. He sat next to her and picked up her hand pretending to inspect the wounds that were healing already. He pulled them close to his face and placed a gentle kiss on the knuckles.

Instead of the smack or her pulling away that he expected, a soft blush crept across the bridge of Buffy’s nose and cheeks.

 “You know it was 147 days, how long was it for you.”

“Much longer.” Buffy looked at the floor.

“I’m sorry.”

“No it’s just there’s a lot more to it but I don’t want to talk about it now. Tomorrow though, will you stay here so I can talk to you and Dawn?”

“You want me to stay?” Spike knew something was very different, she was very different. It wasn’t the being wrenched from the dead, she was far too calm for that, but he couldn’t figure any of it out.

“Yes, but only if you want to.”

“Then I’ll be here Buffy.”

She smiled and pulled the curtain tightly closed and settled back into the cushions, and Spike flipped on the TV. Eventually both falling asleep.

 *****

The gang had filed into Xander and Anya’s apartment. When Willow took a shower to wash off the grime, Tara wrote a note and left it on the table before walking out with her purse.

She found her way to an inexpensive but safe hotel and got a room. Before she’d left , she’d set her phone on silent. Pulling it from her purse she saw many missed calls, she responded with a text “I’m Fine, need a break” and turned her phone off.

She took the longest shower of her life before falling into a troubled sleep.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

The sound of a garbage truck woke Buffy before everyone else. She groaned and looked about, Spike was laying at the opposite end of the couch in a way that would surely leave his neck aching. Nope, not a dream I’m stuck in the past. Oh god, I can’t wear that chicken hat again.

Buffy stopped herself when her stomach rumbled. She snuck into the kitchen and made some cereal. Then she went into Dawn’s room to make sure her alarm was off before taking a shower. Now that time or interdimensional travel had settled in her, her voice didn’t hurt as much and her body was less sore.

She looked around the house for things to do while her two people slept on, expecting them to be out until noon. As she washed the dishes she heard a rushing and fumbling as Spike tripped into the kitchen. They stood there awkwardly looking at each other.

“Are you alright?” Buffy finally asked.

“ ‘s just you weren’t there.”

“Oh geez I’m sorry, I didn’t think of that.” She apologized. “Are you hungry? I threw a bag in the fridge to thaw out. No Weetabix but I can grab some later if you want. What?”

“I know you’ve had a complete upheaval but this isn’t you.”

“Well it is me, but I can explain all the weird stuff. I’d just rather do it once today if that’s fine. I know I’m going to have to explain all of it a million more times to the gang.”

“Sure.” Spike didn’t know what else to say.

Buffy called the school to say Dawn wasn’t feeling well and would be out for the day. Then she and spike read the paper in a not completely relaxed silence.

Around 10 they heard a shrill freak out from up the stairs “I’m so late.”

Buffy shouted up the stairs “I soooooo called you in sick. Chill out, take a shower, and come down.”

“In that order please,” Spike added.

Once everyone had eaten Buffy stood up and paced.

“Okay so this is going to be a weird conversation and I need you to be open-minded.”

Spike arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah I know but this may top Sunnydale weird okay.” She sat back down next to her sister.

“Dawnie, things are going to be weird for a while and I need some time to adjust and get stuff sorted out. I’m not ignoring you but there are a lot of things to go through which is going to take some time and I have to focus on that. But I want you to know that if you need us just say “hey I need attention now.” Okay?”

“Okay.”

“And if you can deal with me being absent-minded and distracted for a while we can do girls day or night once a week or something. You’re choice.”

She beamed at alone time with her sister “Deal.”

“Just don’t get crazy, I need a job first. But I’ll come back to that.”

She sighed and turned to look at both of them hoping they’d believe her. “Here’s the big problems we have to deal with. I mainly trust you two and Tara but I can’t have Tara without Willow right now so, for now, it’s just us three.

The big thing is that for me it’s 2010, I’m Buffy but maybe not this dimensions Buffy or somehow the timeline got messed up but I’ve been here before I know the basic things that are going to happen and maybe I can fix them. But there’s a fight coming and if we can head it off maybe we can stop a lot of the repercussions from it.”

Spike and Dawn just sat listening.

“I died jumping off the town and Willow brought me back like last night but then I was just confused and scared and angry, somehow this time she got future Buffy instead of dead Buffy.”

Spike spoke slowly “So if this happened before what happened?”

“That is a long long story.”

“Well Love, I’ve got the time.”

 

At some point, Spike started writing everything down. With the pg15 audience, Buffy did gloss over the non-slayer related material.

After a few hours, she had told them everything that happened up until Spike died in LA.

They sat silent for a very long time. Spike finally stood up and rummaged through a cabinet pulling out a bottle of whiskey pouring it into his mug.

“I told you guys too much didn’t I?”

“Yes.” Dawn said a bit shocked.

“It’s just … a lot.” Spike stammered out.

“I think we need Giles.”

“I concur, tell him to bring some scotch with him.”

“Agree, well the calling not the scotch. But one of you needs to call and kind of prep him. Hi, it’s your dead slayer but I’m not dead and I’m from the future. Maybe not the best starter.”

When Spike made no signs of moving Dawn got the phone and called. She did her best to explain but started getting tongue tied.

Buffy went to her and mouthed tell him that I’m back.

“Giles, Willow did something and now Buffy is alive.”

Buffy then took the phone. “Hi, Giles. Yes, it’s really me. Look I know this is crazy but I need to tell you the super cliff notes Willow did a spell and brought me back only I’m Buffy from 2010 and I did this once before.

No she brought me back before and I lived and I don’t know if she pulled me out of a different dimension or if this is some weird Doctor Who thing. No no, it came back last year. Giles missing the point, I don’t really want to discuss Doctor Who and physics just now. The point is the Buffy who she brought back before was dead and this time I wasn’t. And Giles you HAVE to get someone from the Devon Coven to come with you, Hell bring the whole coven they can sleep here if they’ll come. Please just trust me on this. Okay, see you soon.”

“Well, what did he say?” Spike asked feeling only slightly more at ease.

“Good Lord. I think I could feel him rubbing his glasses.”

After that Buffy sent Dawn upstairs to do homework knowing full well she’d be listening to music. And today that was just fine.

“Spike, can we talk?”

“I think we have done quite a lot of that today.”

“No, I’ve talked you listened and drank.”

“Seems like a good set up.”

“Okay, no talking can I punch your hand?”

“What?”

“I need to throw a punch to see if I have my slayer strength.”

Spike stood and offered up both hands. Buffy swung at his hand and connected. She still had her slayer strength but it wasn’t her 100 percent.

“Ow that still hurts.” She rubbed her arm.

Spike was concerned “What hurts?”

“Well pretty much everything, last night was worse.”

“So you wanted to talk?”

“We can do that later.”

“Now’s as good a time as any.”

“You’re right. You can’t get away if you don’t like what I say.” She teased him knowing he would bolt for the sewer if it got to that point.

“Hold on a sec.” Buffy went up the stairs to check on Dawn who was indeed listening to music with her headphones on and Buffy carefully shut the door.

Back with Spike she took the bottle from the table and poured both of them a glass of whiskey. Making a face as she drank hers down.

“Thank you for believing me.”

“Well it’s not like you’d really enjoy that story you told us.”

“That was the abbreviated version.”

“Do tell all the sordid details then,” He joked. For the first time since Buffy had died he joked.

Buffy smirked “I don’t know if you could handle all the sordid details.”

Spike sipped his drink slowly studying her “Only one way to find out.”

It was like predator and prey but neither knew which the other was.

“I think if I told you, you might just have to be resuscitated.”

“Good thing I’m already dead then.”

“Might just be.”

“Give me a hint.”

“Well you me and-

The door opened with Willow walking in. Without taking a breath she started. “Buffy-

“Willow. I know you mean well but this is so overwhelming I just need some space and quite. Nothing magical no loving friends I just need to rest a few days and feel better and we can talk.”

“I understand.”

Buffy doubted that. “Do you want to grab stuff from your room?”

“Yeah, did Tara stop by?”

“No but if she does I’ll tell her you were looking for her.”

Willow took her time getting some clothes together and Buffy watched her looking for any magic items that could make everything worse but she only took some clothes and left.

“If I can only hold them off a few days.”

“You need new locks Love.”

“That I really do.”

“So we were having a conversation.”

“Were we? I don’t seem to remember what it was about.”

“Liar.”

“Yeah, well you cheat at kitten poker.”

“Hey now. I mean I do but not in front of you.”

“I know things Spike all sorts of things.” It was a fairly innocent statement but not how she said it.

Buffy became serious.

“Spike you said you loved me. Before.”

“I did and I do.”

“Even if I’m future Buffy?”

“Any Buffy, though you are generally a bit easier to get along with than ….Buffy. “

She laughed. “I get it. And I just want to say I believe you.”

She couldn’t tell him she loved him and had missed him for years, but in a little time she might be able to without scaring him off.


	5. Chapter 5

“I believe you.”

The words echoed through his mind all night long. It wasn’t a declaration but there was something off about it. It wasn’t just acceptance there was something behind it.

He paced the streets beating up anything supernatural that came close to his fists and somehow he ended up back at her door. It wasn’t very late, not by her standards anyway.

He knocked on the door. She opened it looking like the slayer, but her face softened when she saw it was him.

“Come on in. You want something? I’ve got blood, and chips, anything more difficult is a self-serve operation.”

“What were we?”

“Well just jump in docs first.”

“I mean it Buffy. You don’t act like her but you’re so close to her and the things you say.”

“Slow it way way down there. I will tell you pretty much everything I glossed over earlier.”

“I need to know everything.”

She smiled in a coy way. “That is up to you but some of the specific details are a bit more fun in a show don’t tell.”

She added “Do you mind if I turn the light off though? Bright and loud are kind of an issue for me right now.”

Spike stood and turned off the light.

“So much better thanks. Okay the briefest explanation is you and I were together at times.”

“Need a hell of a lot more than that.”

“I know you do, I wasn’t like this when I came back I was an empty hole. If I had died again I wouldn’t have cared. Actually I’d have been thrilled. And you and I accidentally got together but for me it was just to feel anything, and I hurt you badly. We both did, physically and emotionally. Then we were apart and over time I realized you were the only one who was there for me.”

“Sure that’s not true.”

“The slayers I talked about, they kicked me out of my own house, my friends and my sister helped them do it.”

“And I just let them too I suppose?”

“You weren’t there then but you got into a good brawl with Faith over it and you found me and you helped me find my own strength. I didn’t see a lot of the things you did for me then. Which leads me to how much have you been here with Dawn?”

“Something the matter?”

“Not with you but you know the kitchen better than I ever did and that makes me think you are here much more than Tuesday nights.”

“I’m over a bit.”

“Alright keep your secrets.”

He was quiet for a while.

“Sounds like you loved him.”

“I did, but that’s also you. Hindsight being 20-20 and all. You and My Spike are the same, how you protected Dawn and my mom.”

“I didn’t. I tried. I saved you every other night, just not when it counted.”

“It counted believe me. It was always going to happen that way. It’s a slayer deal, but I left feeling safe that you promised to take care of her.”

In the soft light coming from the moon, Buffy could see his eyes glisten and she dared move closer.

“The day you let yourself be tortured to keep her safe, I started feeling for you then but I didn’t admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“That I was falling in love with you then.”

“And now?”

“And now I’m in love with you still. I have been for a very long time.” She willed him to believe her with all her might.

“I love you William” She said softly and waited for him to make the next move.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is one is naughty and can be skipped

For a moment in time, they were frozen both unsure what to do.

Her words echoed through his mind like a whirlwind. _I love you William_. 

Buffy prayed that this time she believed him. 

Spike pulled her close crushing her lips against his. Buffy pushed away just enough to straddle his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

His hands explored her back hungrily. He savored each kiss and caress of her skin.

Her skin was electrified partly from the time travel but mostly from him.

Buffy pushed his jacket off his shoulders and broke the kiss for air. Spike leaned in to reclaim her lips

“Wait” Buffy gasped pushing away from him.

All Spike’s hopes fell.

“Upstairs,” she spoke breathlessly, “bed and room but we have to be quiet. Here less room, but we can be louder.”

In a second her back was crushed into the cushions on the couch and Spike was unbuttoning her shirt. They fought with each other’s clothing until they were both naked. Buffy pulled Spike close to her and just held him looking into his deep blue eyes.

He attempted to move down her body when she stopped him. “Need you now, please.”

Slowly he found her entrance and slid in. For Buffy is was excruciatingly slow and perfect at the same time.

He kept their pace slow at first, driving Buffy just a little bit insane with want. Finally unable to hold himself back he started pumping into faster and harder.

Buffy locked her legs around his back pulling him even closer so he couldn’t pull out as far.

When she knew she was close she pulled his mouth to hers as he continued his thrusts. He shifted just a little which sent Buffy spasming over the edge. She moaned into his mouth which pushed him on until he found his own release.

They stayed wrapped within one another until Spike hardened again.

Buffy smiled and turned them over.

“God I missed you,” She said quietly.

She placed his hands on her breasts as she followed his previous plan of a slow rhythm. She rode his cock back and forth slowly then lifted herself off of him before returning to the grinding motion she’d had before. She was content to keep the pace stretching out their lovemaking as long as she could stand to.

Spike, however, was not helping her with that. He’d leaned up snaking one hand behind her back and began sucking on her breast. Buffy moaned at the contact she’d so missed. She tried to remain slow in this until his other hand found its way to her clit, with a well-placed pinch she couldn’t resist any longer.

Faster and harder she rose and tell on him, Spike thrusting up into as she did so. Buffy clenched her muscles forcing a groan from Spike they could both tell they were about to come and Spike bit onto a nipple with his human teeth as he pinched her once again with a few thrusts they came together and collapsed sated on the couch.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve ignored some people for a few chapters. I promise I’ll get back to them but not quite yet ;)

Buffy heard Dawn’s alarm go off and threw on some pajamas and went downstairs. She put together a lunch for Dawn and pushed the zombie creature that resembled her sister out the door when Janice’s mom pulled up in the driveway.

Sliding a chair under both door knobs to prevent unwanted visitors with keys, she went back to bed.

Spike was still sleeping and Buffy marveled at his perfection. His skin glowed in the soft light filtering in through the curtain, and his hair was slightly more relaxed curling at the ends. She wondered what they looked like without all the gel. That was something she’d never seen with her Spike.

She couldn’t help herself from sliding her fingers through the curls.                                            

His hand caught hers and gently pulled it to his lips keeping his eyes shut.

“Bit off to school then?”

“Yep, we’re all by our lonesome.” She slid closer under the blankets. “Whatever shall we do to pass the time?”

“Can think of a few things.”

“Only a few?”

“Was it like that the first go around?”

Buffy blushed madly. “Not exactly.”

Spike only arched a brow.

“Well, we were kind of fighting and then… and we sort of demolished a dilapidated house.”

Spike’s laughter tore through the room. “Please tell me we can still do that.”

“I might be persuaded and I think you should start trying right now.”  Buffy slid from the bed and went through a drawer and pulled out a silk scarf she never liked.

Holding up the scarf she said, “Do you trust me.”

“Course.”

“Good.” She threw the scarf as hard as she could to make it land on the bed. “Because I trust you too.”

 

_I trust you too._

If this was a dream he never wanted to wake up.

The silk slid through his fingers as he tied the last knot.

“You sure?” He asked again.

“Uh huh, and this time we don’t have to be quiet,” Buffy smirked at him.

He’d wanted her for so long and here she was naked and on display just for him. He was going to worship her.

Spike’s hands roamed her body, his cold hands making her tense as he did so. Buffy felt electrified.

As his hands warmed he began massaging her legs and working his way up her body, but ignoring everywhere she wanted to be touched. She whined in protest and Spike merely laughed and ignored her.

He lay across her body slowly kissing her. When he’d made her moan he moved down to her neck and made a slow descent down her breast and stomach. Instead of going lower he doubled back towards her neck.

"Spike please," Buffy squirmed.

"You set up the game, time to deal with the consequences."

"You are evil." She teased. They both knew full well she could break free of the scarf if she wanted, but Buffy was determined not to.

The need became a mix of pain and pleasure.

Buffy could have cried when Spike finally pulled her close and kissed her while his other hand trailed down to her core. She moaned in relief as he slid two fingers into her. He’d curl and twist his fingers within her and with one gentle tap on nerves, Buffy exploded into an orgasm. She shook as she came down from the high.

With a predatory gleam, Spike left her and settled himself between her thighs.

Buffy assumed this is how she’d die and was perfectly okay with that knowledge.

When his tongue slid across her skin she jumped.

Spike chuckled and played with her, adding in his fingers. Buffy moaned his name.

When he felt her getting close he moved away.

For Buffy, it felt like an eternity before he came back to her.

He pushed into her and lay there holding her unmoving.  Spike laid his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. She saw all the venerability there. Softly she tilted her chin up and kissed him gently, a tear fell from her eyes, knowing she’d hurt him before.

He kissed away the tear and began to slowly rock into her. There was no rush, today they had all the time in the world.

He slid his hands over her head and untied the scarf. Buffy’s arms wrapped around him tightly pulling him as close as she could, holding him to her.

She whispered “I love you” into his ear and he kissed her.

They slowly moved together.

Spike groaned as he came, Buffy soon followed softly caught in the euphoria of being with Spike. 

Spike held her close enjoying the feel of her warmth.

In all of the depraved and insane things, she’d done with Spike before, they’d never done anything like that. So gentle and full of love. 

 

Buffy had never allowed herself to have this before and by god this time she was going to. Her heart was so full for the first time in forever.

After a while, she said, “I love you, Spike.” Hoping he still believed her in the light of day.

He looked at her somewhat puzzled. “So last night you loved William, and today it’s Spike. Which is it?”

“You’re both, so why can’t I love both? I wasn’t very good to either and this time I want you both to know I love you.”

“You’re not making much sense Love.”

She pointed at her head “It makes way more sense in here. I was horrible to you before, and I rarely called you William and the one time I really recall I said it in a breakup and it was cruel and mean and I knew it would hurt you more than if I said ‘Goodbye Spike’.”

“I need a few more dots connected here.”

She was quite for a moment trying to explain it to someone who hadn’t gone through it. “William is the romantic, the poet. Spike is the fighter. Both make up you just like I’m Buffy and the Slayer, you love both right?”

“Indeed I do pet.”

“Well, that’s how I feel about you, and not the my time you, but you you.”

She was jumbling this up “Before I died you told me that I treated you like a man, well I didn’t really. I just wanted to start this by treating you like a man because you deserve that. But I also love the vampire.” She leaned into him and kissed him. “Does that make any sense to you?”

“Think I follow you know.”

“Good, because I do I love you William, and I love you, Spike.”

Eventually Buffy had to get up and deal with the world. “You know,” she said slipping out from the blankets, “you could follow me now.” She said and ran down the hall to the shower.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my issue with Xander has always been this weird characterization shift. At the end of S3 he found out about Cordy, said nothing and bought her prom dress. It was so mature and kind and then the writers super regressed him sometimes, and I found I really didn’t like him in S6. So if he seems out of character in this it’s kind of how I wish he’d act based on that.

 

The past few days had not been good for Tara. She didn’t like being alone now that she’d found family, but were they really? She asked herself over and over.

What had they done?

Willow had lied so many times. First about asking Spike to watch Dawn. It wasn’t a huge deal he’d watch her all the time, so why lie about it? Then lying about knowing what day it was. She’d obviously been caught, why lie and not just apologize?

But that was it wasn’t it. Willow didn’t apologize. Ever. She’d bake cookies and say it wouldn’t happen again, but it always did.

Tara couldn’t even wrap her brain around the smaller lies to even touch the big one.

They’d brought Buffy back from the dead.

That wasn’t supposed to happen. It was supposed to be a harmonizing spell to see where she’d ended up. Anya suggested she could be in any number of dimensions and they were just going to locate her. Then they’d contact Giles if they needed to.

_Giles._

Of course.

Thinking about Giles sickened her.

Every thought put a piece of the puzzle in place. Why had the spell been so _urgent_ that it had to be done five months after Buffy died? The trick was Giles. He’d know what Willow was doing, that’s why she waited until he’d left the country.

Oh, Gods what had they done?

The stress was killing her; she needed to get it sorted.

There would be consequences. If only she knew what the price to pay was.

All she knew was things couldn’t go on like this, something had to be done.

 

 

 

 

Xander drank on occasion but with his parental heritage and witnessing cavewoman Buffy up close and personal, he never drank much more than a few beers.

At this point, Xander was considering drinking himself stupid.

He loved Willow and always had, she was his best friend. But perhaps that was a love best experienced with distance.

One of the things he did not love about Wills was her ability to harp.

She’d been going on for two days about Buffy not being happy to be back, what did she mean you did it wrong. Then she’d had to go back to Buffy’s when she’d been told not to by Dawn, Anya, and himself and got herself riled up again.

He wondered if Anya could do a will be done spell and render him deaf until Willow was off this kick.

Anya had left for the store two hours early and he assumed would not be back after hours.

Xander couldn’t even go to work, afraid of what Willow might do in this state.

“Willow, I understand that you didn’t get the reaction you wanted but listen, Buffy got pulled out of who knows where and this place is not puppy dogs and rainbows. Best circumstance is she’s confused or disoriented.”

“But she’s with Spike,” Willow spat out.

“Okay,” he sighed. They’d have to rehash it one more time. God, he hoped it would be just one more time. ”What did you see exactly?”

“She came out of the kitchen and Spike was sitting at the table.”

“And?” Xander prompted.

“And what?” Willow asked annoyed that he wasn’t understanding “Spike was there.”

“Did he have a knife? Was he naked? Was he eating Trix cuz those are for kids.”

“Take this seriously.”

“Willow I am taking this seriously.” Xander ran his hands through his hair, “Spike shows up in random places all the time, that daylight thing doesn’t seem to bother him. And I kinda get it.”

“Get what?”

“Well, he died. She died. Both are walking around, it’s not exactly a large club.”

“So he’s better to talk to than me? I’m her best friend.”

“I didn’t even say they were talking. But I don’t see it as a huge flag right now if they are.”

When she continued complaining about the same thing for the hundredth time, he did the only thing in his power as a mortal man to do. He went to the fridge and got some of Anya’s wine out and poured Willow a ridiculously large glass. She didn’t notice how much she was drinking in her agitation.

Willow was a lightweight and as she finished a glass he filled it back up.

After a few glasses, Willow’s head started to sink a little and eventually she fell asleep at the kitchen table.

He knew he’d feel guilty later but for now, he was going to deal with the silence of the room.

No, he was feeling plenty of guilt right now.

Willow hadn’t said what they were going to do exactly, she said they’d move Buffy to another realm if she was suffering. That seemed bad enough, but to actually bring her back.

Willow was the master at botching spells, but this seemed way too big to be an accident. You don’t accidentally bring someone back from the dead.

No this was intentional.

Xander knew there would be a grave price; he just wondered which of his best friends he was going to lose.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright enough with the cryptic actual plot commencing next chapter


	9. Chapter 9

Buffy was enjoying the house being quiet. The first time there were constant problems and people all the time. Space was nice.

Her vampire boyfriend was sleeping upstairs. Buffy wondered if she should switch rooms.

Her mom’s room or the basement were light safe but both not useable at the moment. That would have to be fixed.

A soft knock came from the back door. She got up to find Tara. The site shook Buffy, she looked like hell.

“Tara, are you alright?”

“I should be asking you that question.” Her voice wasn’t a studded but it trembled.

“I’m alright but Tara, you look sick.”

She looked at Buffy with such anguish. “I am sick Buffy, I didn’t know what she was going to do.”

Buffy pulled her to the table and sat her down. “Tara, it’s okay. I know you didn’t know. You’re just as much to blame in this as me. Willow chose to do something. We’ll take care of it.”

Tara studied Buffy, this wasn’t quite right. “How can you be so settled?”

Buffy started making some tea “There is a lot I need to tell you but it’s better to wait just a little while. I promise.”

Buffy stole another glance at Tara, she’d never seen her so disheveled, her hands shook, her hair was oily, and she looked like she hadn’t slept.

“When’s the last time you ate?”

“I don’t feel much like eating.”

Buffy found some crackers in the cupboard and set them on the table. “I want you to eat some of these with your tea. And you are going to stay here tonight and we’re going to watch some movies with my bratty sister. Then you can sleep in mom’s room.”

She saw Tara starting to protest and held her hand up.

“Big things can wait a day or so, right now everyone just needs to regroup.”

Buffy leafed through the paper looking for a job that didn’t have ridiculous requirements while they waited for Dawn.

 

By late afternoon Buffy had managed to get Tara to eat and take a nap, a teenager to finish her homework and set up two job interviews. She called that a marvelous success.

“Buffy, can we please have pizza tonight?” Dawn asked.

“Uhm, I don’t think I have any cash. I don’t know what purse I used before and it has all my cards and ID.”

Dawn threw a twenty on the table. “My treat.”

Buffy stared at the money then her sister. “What are you robbing banks now?”

“Sort of,” Dawn mumbled and glanced at the floor.

Buffy kicked a chair out from the table, “Splain now.”

“You know that guy who claims parentage on us?”

“Dad? Yes, we met some time ago.”

“Well when a letter was sent discussing his child support versus custody options and how much less expensive not to mention time consuming sending a check would be each month, well he sends a check.”

“Stop trying to talk riddles around me so I can’t follow you. Who wrote this letter?”

“My lawyer.”

“Oh, your lawyer, and who would that be?”

“The law offices of the blond undead and some very nice stationary I downloaded off the internet. It was my idea but he told me what to type.”

Buffy tried to process this. Was Spike turning her sister evil or was it the other way around?

“So shouldn’t that be paying the mortgage and not buying pizza?”

Dawn looked at her shoes. “I have most of the money upstairs. I didn’t want to give it to them. They only paid for food stuff so I hid it in case things got bad.”

“Oh, Dawnie.” Buffy pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry. Yes, you can have your pizza. It’s going to be okay.” She whispered in her ear, “I made sure we had the house in the other time, even without that. It’ll be okay.”

“I promise I’ll hand it over I just was afraid. Willow spent all of Mom’s insurance money on the hospital bills and then…”

“I know that Dawn. It’s not good but we’ll be fine. I didn’t get how bad money was before, but I’m looking for a job now. It’s handled.”

Dawn looked a little better after that and she picked out some movies to watch.

Buffy hoped Giles would be here soon. She was talking herself in circles with all the half truths.

Xander called to talk. After a quick conversation, they promised to talk in a day or two.

Spike woke up at sunset, pizza was ordered, eaten and the pair went on patrol.

“The nasty’s hiding out after the weird biker gang attack.”  

“That’s alright,” Buffy stretched. “I could use a good slay but I am still all time warped.”

Traveling through all the empty cemeteries left them with little to do besides talk.

 “So what is this Buffy?”

“Sunnydale.” She pointed at a nearby sign.

“Ha Bloody Ha.”

“What do you want it to be? I’m the one who came crashing down from some when and all this baggage. So you tell me, what do _you_ want?”

“I want you,” Spike was very serious. 

“Then you have me. All of me.”

“Seems like a bloody dream.”

“Nope just me, wait till I get cranky, then you’ll know it’s definitely not a dream.”

The both laughed.

“I don’t want to scare you off-”

“You can’t scare me off, love.”

Buffy smiled at that, boy she knew it was hard to scare him off. Did she ever.

“-but I was thinking about rooms. I don’t think I want Willow to stay at least right now knowing what I know.”

“Might be better to keep an eye on her though.”

“There’s that.” Buffy let out a breath, “but ignoring all of that, it’s my house. I’m thinking I could take Mom’s old room or the basement because no windows, but my room has a window so easy access for one of us.”

“Why would the windows matter?” Spike asked with an overly innocent tone.

“You just want me to say it? Alright. I love you and I don’t want to wake up next to Mr. Big Pile of Dust.”

“Do what you think is best.”

“I am, that’s why I’m asking your opinion. If we’re together I want to be together on this stuff.”

That took him back, Buffy let him think it over while she went on. 

“See I was thinking no, Dawn can sneak out of my room but if Tara were in there she could be a block. And I liked the idea of redoing Mom’s room, but then basement has even more privacy but it really looks like a basement right now. And there’s an impending pipe that breaks in a year.”

He interrupted her babble “You want to know what I think?”

“Why I’m asking.”

“Give it a week or two and then figure it out. You were talking about needing a job, and you just popped in two days ago. I think you need to slow down.”

“Fair enough. Then I’ll wait and think about it, but I’d like it if you would too.”

They walked on.

She added feeling a little guilty “I don’t want to suffocate you either so if you have Vampire stuff to do, or just be alone, don’t feel like you have to watch me all the time.”

“And if I like watching you all the time?”

“I’m not your boss do what you want.” She flipped her hair and walked further ahead, she added a little extra sway in her hips.

Was he whipped?

Yep. He knew it.

But he was pretty okay with that.

 

Breakfast was interrupted by a knock at the door. Buffy ran to get it.

The pair stood frozen, gratefully taking in the other.

Carefully, Buffy hugged him tightly for a normal girl, gently for a slayer.

Giles looked worse for wear and after holding his darling slayer for a long moment the group got to work.

Spike kindly put a glass of scotch in Giles’ hand and kept the bottle handy.

Buffy re-explained everything filling in more details as she remembered things but pointing out the few differences she already knew about. This left them with several big problems.

  1. Was Buffy called back in time or from somewhere else?
  2. Willow
  3. The Trio
  4. The first Evil



“You know when you look at it on a post-it, it doesn’t seem at all overwhelming or impossible,” Buffy said sarcastically.

“I’ve been and continuing to look into possible time and dimensional travel, but nothing yet.”

“Once we get the whole group up to speed I want to talk to Anya,” Buffy said. “She knows  all kinds of magic stuff, worst case she doesn’t know but maybe knows someone who does.”

“Then I’m severely startled by Willow’s behavior.”

“We were discussing that. Based on what happened before, I don’t want her here but Spike pointed out it may be easier to watch her.”

“Without your advanced knowledge, I would say that would be a safer course but it didn’t appear to help before. I have several witches from the coven on their way, should we not be able to pacify Willow they can deal with her.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Tara was horrified at the images running through her mind.

Giles took another drink. “It is less than ideal but if she’s unwilling to refrain, they’ll bind her powers. I would hope that perhaps she would willingly accept help. I’m shocked that you performed a spell of this magnitude.”

Tara felt ill again, “I didn’t know, I don’t think the others did either. Willow said we’d be tracking Buffy’s soul to see where she was, not bring her back to life.”

“Tara it’s not your fault, I forgive you.” Buffy meant it. “And where I was wasn’t the greatest, but at least this time around I can deal with some of these problems without crippling depression.”

Buffy felt Spike tense up next to her and squeezed his hand to reassure him.

“Be that as it may that is not a spell she should have even considered attempting, and thusly we have serious consequences to hash out.” He sighed. The strain of travel had been a bit much for Giles.

“Do you want to stay the night?” Spike asked rather politely for Spike.

“I’ll find myself a hotel room; I would like to talk to you alone for a moment.”

Buffy nodded and followed him out to the porch.

“As you are a more experienced woman, than the one who I’m used to dealing with, am I correct in assuming that your belief in your convictions has only increased?”

Buffy had missed this. “That would be a safe bet to say I’m still stubborn, yes.”

“Would it also be safe to say that you and Spike have some sort of….”

“Yes, we have a some sort of.”

Giles pulled his glasses off and wiped them. “And I’ve probably tried talking you out of it?”

“Many, many times, and not always kindly. It didn’t work.”

“Then I shall not waste precious energy trying in vain to do something I’ve already failed at. I’ll see you this evening if you can assemble the group.”

“I’ll have the tea waiting.”

Buffy waved as Giles got into his rental car and left to sleep off a 15-hour flight.

Spike was awkwardly sitting in a different chair, attempting to look relaxed.

“Knock it off, I know you were listening.”

“Was not.”

Buffy looked at the others. “Giles said he’ll be back tomorrow morning.”

“No, he didn’t he said- Oh Bugger.”

Buffy smiled as she kissed his forehead before going up to her room and got ready for an interview.


	10. Chapter 10

“I got burgers,” Xander bumped through the door.

“And I have drinks,” Anya followed. “For the adults and not adults.”

Buffy shouted from the kitchen “Food out there drinks in here please.”

Anya found Buffy stuffing groceries in the fridge. “Hey, put them anywhere you find a spot.”

“You look awfully nice for being recently dead.” Anya paused, “that was wrong, wasn’t it? It was rude?”

Buffy didn’t stop messing with her groceries. “A little bit, but then again how many people do you run into who’ve been brought back from the dead.”

Anya studied her. “There’s something different about you. I can’t place it.”

“Yeah, I’ll explain it when everyone gets here.”

“Okay.” Anya took the explanation and went to the cabinet for cups.

Shortly after Giles arrived with Opal Cane.

“We’ll start shortly, where is Willow?” He asked.

“She was at school but I don’t know, we told her what time to be here,” Xander answered.

Half an hour later the food had been eaten and Willow finally showed up.

“Sorry, I’m late. Let’s get down to business,” she said brightly.

“Alright to begin, this is a friend from a very powerful coven. Some things have been brought to light that needs numbers to correct.”

Willow interrupted, “Should Dawn be here for this?”

“Yes, we’re managing her life. She needs to know what’s going on.” Buffy’s tone had a finality to it that meant don’t argue.

Buffy told her story again. Adding in some more of the painful details.

Willow was incensed. “That’s ridiculous, I wouldn’t have-”

“Willow, did you bring me back from the dead?” Buffy asked calmly.

“Well, you said I didn’t, so no.”

“You know what she meant,” Spike snapped.

“I helped you. I saved the world.”

“Did you not hear the rest of it? You could have ended the world.” Xander was horrified. He wanted to defend his best friend but how could he do that with all the evidence against her.

“It was only a problem that you brought to fruition.” Giles spoke up, “We are not asking you to stop using your magic just work with the coven to focus it.”

“I just won’t do the stuff she said I did. I don’t need to. I’m powerful.” Willow prattled on.

“Willow just do it,” Tara shouted.

She’d been hiding out of sight and over the course of the discussion had taken some of Spike’s liquid courage.

“Tara,” Willow said.

“You lied to all of us, that’s what you do with your power. You lie and you manipulate. You can’t even admit that what you planned to do was wrong. Buffy was pulled out of heaven by you, and you did a lot of bad things after that. Redemption doesn’t mean that those go away.”

“I haven’t done any of those things, and I won’t,” Willow whined.

“You can only make amends if you try. And you’ve done things in the past that have hurt us. Start by making amends this way.”

Tara’s eyes pleaded with her.

Willow stood and walked out.

Tara’s heart broke, she quietly went back up the stairs and cried.

 

“Well, what now?” Xander asked.

“We’ll get to work on a binding spell at once,” Opal replied.

“Anya do you have any idea whether Buffy is from a different dimension or timeframe?”

“It’s impossible to tell which. I suppose dimension probably because you said things were different immediately, things you didn’t actually affect?”

“Yeah, there were things I know I messed up because I’m this me, but some things like something Dawn did before I got back to here or now didn’t happen before.”

“Far be it from me to say let’s get rid of Buffy,” Xander started, “but aren’t they going to miss you in your dimension? Don’t you want to go back?”

“No. I mean why fight it I can help now and I’ll get there eventually supposing I don’t die again.”

Buffy caught the strange cast on Anya’s face before it disappeared. Damn, she’d forgotten that Anya saw more than she said. Same went with Spike, but he’d bring it up if he caught it.

“Well, I suppose this means you’re with Dead Boy Jr.”

“Xander, you played nice all summer didn’t you?” Buffy asked.

“No,” Xander snapped.

“Hated him,” Spike agreed. 

“Likewise.”

“I’d have bit him if I could.”

All the women rolled their eyes and let the boys act out.

“Are you good with it or not?” Buffy asked Xander.

“I guess I can tolerate him.”

“Can you get along with him?” She asked Spike.

“If I have too.”

“You have to, now behave both of you.”

Both grown men pouted like children in a time out.

“Now that that is settled our first problem is Willow,” Giles said.

Opal spoke first, “We will get a handle on her powers, as long as we prevent her from doing something serious in the meantime.”

 

 

Willow stormed down the street. How could they think she’d do such awful things? She knew just how to fix everything.

The Magic Shop was locked up but with the flick of her wrist it was unlocked and lit up. She pulled the ingredients from the shelf and walked out.

She arranged everything, she’d do the spell tomorrow. First, there was something very important she had to do.

 

 

It took a few hours but he got there no problem. The lights were on so he knocked and stepped back.

He watched her through the window. She was utterly gorgeous.

She disappeared as she got closer to the front door.

“Oh God, Angel.”


	11. Chapter 11

Buffy stood just over the entryway.

“Buffy, you’re alive.” Angel looked her up and down.

“Apparently,” she said dryly.

Angel pulled her into a hug and pushed his face towards hers to kiss her.

Buffy quickly pushed him away and stepped back over the threshold.

“Angel, you can’t just grab me and kiss me.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just-” He tilted his head, “You’re not you.”

“Oh god, this is ridiculous,” she grumbled. “There was a bit of dimensional issues when Willow brought me here, but I swear that I’m me.”

His Buffy didn’t talk to him like this, why didn’t she invite him in. “Why are you acting this way?”

She rubbed her eyes, “I’m sorry I’ve had a really long day, and you being here makes me feel like you’re checking up on me.”

“I am checking up on you. I thought you needed me.”

 “I would have called and asked you if I did.” She thought about it for a second. “Who called you?”

“Willow.”

Of course. “Be aware that Willow is acting out and trying to cause problems.”

“What’s going on?”

“Willow is playing with some big magic she doesn’t understand and can’t control, she’s mad that she got called out on it.”

“So you’re okay?”

She softened her voice a little “I’m okay. I promise.”

“Hey Buffy,” Spike called softly coming down the stairs, “Glinda isn’t sounding too good up here.”

 _God just one more minute,_ Buffy thought to herself.

“What’s he doing here?” Angel growled.

“Nothing she’s opposed to.” Buffy could almost feel the leer behind her.

“I swear to God here, big pit, oil,” Buffy mumbled to herself. “Angel my house, anyone can be in it that I choose. Secondly, Spike and I are together I’m really only telling you so you can get over it on your way home to LA.”

“He’s going to hurt you he must have put you under a spell or something.”

“Yes because the only way men can be interested in me is if I’m bewitched.”

“It’s not you, it’s Spike.”

“Spike is not doing anything. But I’m sure you won’t believe me, so go ask Giles or Xander. Since the men folk are so much more reliable than my feeble girl brain. Now I need to go check on my friend.”

“Wait a minute.” Angel was able to keep the door from shutting by nudging his foot as close to the threshold as possible.  

Buffy ripped it back open, her eyes full of fury. “Angel, get out of this door or I swear you will go back to LA in an ashtray.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I died Angel, and I’m not the teenage girl who follows you around with puppy dog eyes anymore. I almost wish I was, but I’m way past that. So move your foot if you want to take it with you.”

He grudgingly moved and Buffy shut the door.

She stayed looking through the glass for a few minutes until he realized she wasn’t coming back out and left.

Buffy immediately found herself with her back pushed into the door and Spike kissing her roughly.

“That was bloody amazing.”

“Mmm- no stop.” She pushed him away and he began to sulk. “You came down here for a reason, remember?”

“Right. Go be a hero.”

“We can continue this later.”

 

 

Willow performed the spell. Tomorrow would be different.

By tomorrow they’d all forgive her, tomorrow they’d all forget.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve tried to get back into this story for a while and it wasn’t working so I trashed the old chapters and started a new. 
> 
> These next few chapters as I work through them are a bit odd and skip around a bit I promise I won’t leave you on a cliffhanger for long.

Buffy woke up warm and comfy an arm draped over her and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

She indeed jumped out of bed screaming, “Who are you?”

After a moment of confusion and a tangle of blankets and limbs, Buffy and Spike stood with the bed between them staring at the other.

“I’m going to ask you again who are you?” Buffy demanded.

“Who am I? Who are you?” His voice was an eloquent English tone. That didn’t help her being in bed with a stranger.

He looked away from her. “Um, you may want to cover yourself.”

Looking down she was naked She pulled on the blanket covering everything.

“Can you go outside?” Her voice wavered as she asked.

Had she been drugged? Why didn’t she remember last night?

“I’m in the same uh condition as you,” Spike said reaching for a blanket she wasn’t grasping.

“I don’t know you,” she was near tears.

Spike wanted to comfort her but thought he best stay on this side of the bed. “And I don’t know you,” he said softly. “What’s your name?”

“It’s…. I don’t know.” Her brow creased. “What’s yours?”

“Don’t rightly recall it.”

“Okay, so there has to be a reason we both don’t know anything, um, whose house is this?”

“I’m guessing it’s yours, the photographs are all of you.”

“Okay, so my house. That’s a start. Can you stay right there I need clothes.” She opened the closet and stepped in pulling clothes on in the dark. “There’s men’s stuff in here too, I guess you might be my …boyfriend?” she said tentatively.

She put a pile of clothes on the foot of the bed “Here.” She stepped into the hall.

After a moment Spike opened the door fully dressed. “You can come back in if you want.”

Buffy followed leaving the door open they sat as far apart from each other as humanly possible. Spike in a chair and Buffy by the window.

Neither spoke for a long time.

“Well, this certainly is not progressing well,” Spike began. “These clothes as unfamiliar as they seem, are apparently mine so we presumably know each other very well.”

“I guess,” Buffy said non-committal. “So if we know each other and this is my house how come we don’t know who or where we are? I mean do you know what state this even is?”

“No, I’m afraid that I don’t know.”

Buffy began to pace noticing something on the bedside table. “Oh,” she picked up the glittering object and turned her back on him trying the ring on each finger and it only fit her left ring finger.

She turned around, flashing her hand “I uh, don’t think you’re my boyfriend.”

Spike’s expression was soft, “I’m afraid I can’t say that I’m disappointed, but under the circumstances, I do wish you could introduce yourself.”

Buffy gave a breathy laugh and blushed. “This is a weird situation isn’t it?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“I have an idea, help me.” Buffy grabbed all the pictures off the wall and dumped them on the bed.

“What are we doing?”

“Pull the frames off and see if any of them have names on them.”

They pulled the backs off all of the frames and looked at each one only three had names on them.

One a picture with a very small little girl, looking down at a baby on the back was “Buffy meets Dawn.”

The second was of three teenagers “Xander, Willow, Buffy 1998”.

Spike held the final one was a tall dark haired girl with the woman, though younger, standing in front of him. “Buffy and Dawn 1996.”

“Well, it appears you have a name.”

Buffy scrunched her nose up and her lip curled in a sneer. “Buffy? Who names their child Buffy, why not Stick a kick me sign on my back?”

Spike laughed, “I think it’s lovely.”

“I think you’re lying but thank you.” She looked back over the pictures. “This is so incredibly awkward, I’m totally wigging out. I mean that’s my face but I don’t know any of these people.”

“It’ll be fine I’m sure it will get sorted out.”

He said it so honestly, she really wanted to believe him.

“You think-

Screaming came from the room across the hall. They went running into find Dawn screaming and cowering in a corner.

“Who are you?”

Buffy inched towards her carefully, “Hey, it’s alright. We’re not going to hurt you. Do you know who you are?”

“No?”

Spike was careful not to spook her and stayed back “We have the same problem, but I think your name is Dawn.”

He left and got the picture from Buffy’s room and handed it over to Buffy.

“See, I’m Buffy and I think you might be my sister.”

“What if you’re Dawn?”

“Trust me the other pictures with this face have my name on it but if you want to be Buffy be my guest.” That got a slight smile from Dawn. “We’ll leave, you get dressed, and we’ll try to figure out what happened.”

They went out and closed the door, “You handled that well,” Spike said.

“I’m just as freaked out, but she doesn’t need to know that.”

The door down the hall creaked open slightly, “Hello?” A taller woman called out slowly inching out of her room.

“Hi, do you know who you are?” Spike asked.

She shook her head.

“Neither do we. I’m Buffy, and Dawn’s in there.”

“What’s your name?” she asked Spike.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Do you have a wallet?” Tara asked.

“You know with Dawn, I didn’t think to look.” He retreated into Buffy’s room and found his clothes from the night before and searched the room.

Tara went into her room and found a purse and pulled out an ID, “Tara,” she said aloud trying it out.

Buffy stood at the edge of the door, “So Dawn is my sister, and that guy is my fiancé and do you think we’re related? I mean its weird right that I’d live with my sister and probably him too and someone who’s not family.”

“I guess we could be sisters or cousins or something.”

“Cousins probably I have a picture of meeting Dawn for the first time so I don’t think sisters.”

Spike came back to the door. “No such luck.”

“Well, mystery man, I think everyone should probably eat. Hopefully, we don’t find anyone else in here.”

 

 

 

Stabbing her French toast with her fork and filling her mouth with the syrupy goodness, Willow nearly hummed to herself as Xander ran around getting ready for work. Everything was going to be great, no not great. PERFECT! Buffy would get over her issues with her and they would be best friends again and Tara would stop bitching and then she could go home. There was no way anything could go wrong.

 

 

 

Cordelia’s heels clicked on the tile as she walked into the former hotel, sipping her Venti iced coffee. What she needed today was peace and quiet where she could get the files organized and no gross magic gunk on her clothes, no dimension hopping, no crazy.  Just one day was all she asked.

A movement startled her as she moved behind the desk.

“Please. Can you help me? I don’t know who I am.”

Angel was cowering in a corner hidden in the dark.

“Son of a bitch.”


End file.
